The conserved immunoglobulin superfamily member SAX-3/Robo directs multiple aspects of axon guidance in C. elegans.
The C. elegans sax-3 gene encodes a predicted transmembrane protein with five immunoglobulin domains and three fibronectin type III repeats that is closely related to Drosophila Robo. Mutations in sax-3 lead to repeated midline crossing by ventral cord axons that normally do not cross the midline after they join the ventral cord, a phenotype similar to that of robo mutants. sax-3 is also required for guidance of some axons to the ventral cord, implicating this gene in two different types of guidance events. A sax-3::GFP fusion gene is expressed in developing neurons during axon outgrowth, and sax-3 function is required at the time of axon guidance, suggesting that this gene mediates cell interactions during guidance decisions.
Zallen
J A
JA
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Program in Developmental Biology, Department of Anatomy, The University of California, San Francisco 94143-0452, USA.
Yi
B A
BA
Bargmann
C I
CI
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology*; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development; D017124:Conserved Sequence / Q000235:genetics*; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017238:Genes, Helminth / Q000235:genetics; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000737:chemistry; D009154:Mutation; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D000097905:Roundabout Proteins
D005353:Fibronectins; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D000097905:Roundabout Proteins